Display tray

ABSTRACT

An integrally formed, injection molded, plastic display tray. The tray includes integral bottom, side, front and back walls and is provided with a plurality of integrally formed, rearwardly extending bracket members which are adapted to attach the tray to an existing shelf. The tray is particularly useful for displaying merchandise.

I United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,776,388

Mattheis Dec. 4, 1973 [541 DISPLAY TRAY 3,331,646 7/1967 Peters 211/153 X 3,341,909 9/ 1967 Havener 248/226 A X [75] invent Harley Matthe's vmma 3,424,419 1/1969 Siegel 248/226 A [73] Assigneez Ethyl Development Corporation 3,669,035 6/1972 G rossman 108/152 Kansas Kafis- FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [22] Filed: Dec. 13, 1971 550,273 12 1942 Great Britain 248/226 A 21 A 1. N 207 160 l 1 pp 0 Primary Examiner-Ram0n S. Britts Attorney-Donald L. Johnson et al. 15 V- -H ":---,--:v:.:.-,--,:-1x11 11021Ell 1215;.193 9 [51] Int. Cl. A47b 57/00, A47f 3/14, A47f 5/00 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Fleld of Search 211/126, 90, 88,

21 1/153, 86, 134; 108/90 97, 152 24j226 A An mtegrally fon'ned, ln ectlon molded, plastlc d1sp1ay tray. The tray includes integral bottom, side, front and v 7 back walls and is provided with a plurality of integrally [56] References Cited formed, rearwa'rdly extending bracket members which UNITED STATES PATENTS are adapted to attach the tray to an existing shelf. The

tray is particularly useful for displaying merchandise. 1,108,692 8/1914 Burd 211/90 X 3,289,615 12/1966 Marschak 211/134 X 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED 3 ,776,388

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DISPLAY TRAY THE INVENTION The invention relates to an'integrally formed, plastic display tray adapted for attachment to existing shelving.

In merchandising commodities in drugstores, grocery stores, variety stores, etc., use is often made of auxiliary display trays or other types of temporary display plat-.

forms for use indisplaying merchandise by attachment to existing shelving. Small or light articles may be advantageously displayed for sale by using lightweight, preformed display trays which may be conveniently attached to the top or upper shelves of existing shelving, whereby the products are displayed at approximately the eye level of the consumer which is well known to enhance the salability of items displayed in this manner. Heretofore, display trays have been formed from metal, and to some extent cardboard, and have been supported by metal frames. More recently, plastic display trays have come into use; however, trays of plastic used heretofore have suffered the disadvantage of requiring assembly by gluing and hot sealing the components of the tray together. Additionally,problems have been encountered in providing a secure mounting means for plastic-type display trays that will carry the weight of the product placed on the tray.

Therefore, it can be seen that there is a need in the merchandising field for a plastic display tray that can be integrally formed, is economic to produce, is readily attachable to existing shelving, and is attractive and structurally sound. The display tray of the present invention fulfills the foregoing and otherobjectives.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an integrally formed, plastic display tray that may be readily attached to existing shelving. I

It is another object of the present invention to provide a display tray that may be constructed from plastic materials economically.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a display tray that has secure means for attaching the tray to existing shelving.

The foregoing objects and other advantages that are brought out hereinafter are realized in a display tray for merchandising commodities that includes a generally FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the bracket portion of the display tray of FIG. 1 taken along line 4-4.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the display tray of the present invention in the embodiment depicted is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The tray is preferably constructed by injection molding a plastic material whereby the tray is a one-piece, integrally formedtray. The display tray includes a bottom wall 11, back wall 12, front wall 13, and spaced apart sidewalls l4l4. As seen inFIGS. 2 and 3, the back wall 12 is about 1% times the height of the front wall 13 and is joined thereto by the downwardly sloping sidewalls 14-14. However, the wall heights may be varied, if desired. As seen in FIG. 1, the bottom wall 11 is preferably perforated by a series of squares sur rounded by equilateral triangles along its edge, whereby the weight and quantity of plastic used in forming the injection molded display 'tray is reduced without substantially affecting the strength, appearance and utility of the tray. However, if desired, the tray may be formed with a completely solid bottom wall and the perforations omitted. Further, additional types of perforations may be used, i.e., circles, ellipses, and other geometric forms, depending upon the aesthetic design desired.

The rear surface 17 of the back wall 12 is provided with three spaced apart bracket assemblies, designated generally 18.

As seen more clearly in FIGS. 3 and 4, each bracket assembly includes a pair of spaced apart, transversely extending, upper fingers l919 which are attached to the upper portion of the back surface 17 of back wall 12. The downwardly facing surface of each of the finger members 19 is provided with serrations 20, whereby the fingers can make a secure grip on the top surface of the shelving 21 to which the display tray is attached. A single, transversely projecting, lower finger 22 is spaced from the upper fingers l9-l9 and is attached at its rear to the back surface 17 of the rear wall 12 by being integrally formed therewith. Lower finger 22 includes a generally rectangular, upper portion 23 having its surface perpendicular to the bottom of the rectangular, integrally formed, one-piece, open-top,

plastic tray. The tray has integral bottom walls, sidewalls and front and back walls with the back wall having a plurality of integrally formed brackets extending rearwardly therefrom for attaching the tray to an existing shelf. Each one of the brackets includes a pair of spaced apart, transversely extending, upper fingers attached to the upper portion of the back wall and a single, transversely projecting, lower finger attached to the lower portion of the back wall. The lower finger is v spaced opposite the pair of upper fingers, and a bolt fingers 19-19 and parallel to the shelf 21. Integrally formed with and extending downwardly from each side of the top rectangular portion 23 are spaced apart, generally right triangle shaped sidewall reinforcing members 2424. Thumb screw 25 is threadably received in an opening in the top surface 23 of the lower finger 22 .and has an enlarged portion adjacent its upper end which contacts the underside of shelf 21 to securely attach the display tray to the forward end of the shelf 21. While three brackets are shown in the drawings, it is understood that the tray may be provided with only the two end brackets, if desired. Also, four or more brackets may be used, if desired.

The integrally formed, plastic display tray described herein may be formed from any plastic material which is thermoplastic and can be injection molded. Among suitable plastic materials are high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polymethyl methacrylate, polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene graft polymers, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers, polyamides, polyesters, polycarbonates, and polystyrenes. Particularly preferred are medium and high impact polystyrenes and polyvinyl chloride which are preferred because of their compromise of desirable properties and low cost.

As is well known to those skilled in the injection molding art, it will be necessary to provide proper draft for the sidewalls, front wall and back wall of the display tray in order to facilitate the removal of the tray from a two-piece injection mold. Additionally, proper draft will be provided for the spaced apart fingers 19-19 of the bracket and also the reinforcing sidewalls 2424 of the lower bracket in order that these components may be readily extracted from a two-piece injection mold.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention provides an attractive, economical, readily produced display tray which can be attached to existing shelving.

While the foregoing disclosure and description of a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof, other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a one-piece, integrally formed, injection molded, plastic display tray the combination comprising: a generally rectangular, integrally formed, onepiece, open-top, plastic tray having an integral bottom wall, sidewalls, and front and back walls; said back wall having a plurality of integrally formed brackets extending rearwardly therefrom for attaching said tray to an existing shelf, each of said brackets including a pair of spaced apart, unconnected, transversely extending, upper fingers attached to the upper portion of said back wall, and a single, transversely projecting lower finger attached to the lower portion of said back wall and spaced opposite said pair of upper fingers, said lower finger having a solid, generally rectangular upper portion with its surface substantially parallel to the bottom surface of said upper fingers and integral side members attached to said upper portion and to said back wall, said upper portion providing a threaded opening therein; and bolt means received in said threaded opening in said lower finger and adapted to engage the lower surface of said shelf to lock said display tray firmly thereon. 

1. In a one-piece, integrally formed, injection molded, plastic display tray the combination comprising: a generally rectangular, integrally formed, one-piece, open-top, plastic tray having an integral bottom wall, sidewalls, and front and back walls; said back wall having a plurality of integrally formed brackets extending rearwardly therefrom for attaching said tray to an existing shelf, each of said brackets including a pair of spaced apart, unconnected, transversely extending, upper fingers attached to the upper portion of said back wall, and a single, transversely projecting lower finger attached to the lower portion of said back wall and spaced opposite said pair of upper fingers, said lower finger having a solid, generally rectangular upper portion with its surface substantially parallel to the bottom surface of said upper fingers and integral side members attached to said upper portion and to said back wall, said upper portion providing a threaded opening therein; and bolt means received in said threaded opening in said lower finger and adapted to engage the lower surface of said shelf to lock said display tray firmly thereon. 